1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Description

The second-generation Camaros have finally moved beyond the mullet and are bona-fide collectors' items today. This end-of-the-line 1981 Camaro Z/28 reminds us why these cars are so cool: great looks, great colors, great performance, and a great price. For entry-level muscle that gets respect, this Z is a slam-dunk.

Even after 11 years, the Z/28 was still one of the most formidable machines you could buy, and while this one looks subtle, you can bet that everyone on the street in '81 knew the score. The car was repainted a few years ago using the original dark blue color combination, as well as a new set of Z/28 decals that are far more subtle than some of its siblings. It's a little flashy, but nothing like the brown or yellow versions, never mind the Firebird from corporate cousin Pontiac. The bodywork underneath is in decent shape with panel fit that is typical of the era, so no demerits there. A center-mounted "power dome" hood is a nice update on the traditional cowl-induction setup and it's treated to its own set of gray and sliver graphics. The urethane bumper with chin spoiler, blacked-out grilles, and ducktail spoiler out back all add to the car's aggressive look. Blacked-out taillights appear to be the lone modification to the exterior, giving the car a more monochromatic look that actually works rather well.

In a blue car, the dark silver interior looks downright amazing and is exactly the right choice. High-back buckets should look familiar, and they wear what we believe are the original seat covers, which are in great shape. Matching door panels and a back seat that looks almost completely unused add to the freshened look inside. The sporty steering wheel and dashboard give the Z a performance feel and someone has added a carbon fiber dash applique and auxiliary gauges to make it a little more contemporary. There is no radio, so it's ready for whatever you have planned, and a tilt steering column makes it easy to get comfortable behind the wheel. Pop the trunk and you'll find a nicely finished cargo bay that uses black carpet to give it a more upscale feel than a wrinkled vinyl mat.

By 1981, horsepower wasn't anything to write home about, so the 350 cubic inch V8 under the hood today carries some additional blasting powder for backup. There's a mild cam inside to give it a rumbling idle and awesome mid-range pull, along with a Holley 4-barrel carburetor and matching intake. The black engine bay is tidy and offers some chrome dress-up to offset the monochromatic look, and it runs quite well. A nice-sounding dual exhaust system with new Flowmaster mufflers snarls to life when you turn the key and the TH350 3-speed automatic transmission always seems to be in the right gear. The underside is far cleaner than you'd expect from a car at this price. The stance is right and those are brand new SS wheels, which are arguably the best-looking factory wheels in years. Fat 235/60/15 Dayton white-letter radials give it a period performance look with updated grip.

This is a lot of car for the price, and comes with such desirable things as the original build sheet, manuals, and other paperwork. It also runs great and looks awesome. Hard to go wrong here. Call today!